Master of Strategic and Corporate Communication

1.0       BACKGROUND     

1.1       Title of the Programme

The programme will be called the Master of Strategic Communication (MASC)

1.2       Introduction

The Department of Journalism and Communication proposes to introduce a Master of Strategic Communication (MASC) with effect from the academic year 2022/2023. This programme has been designed to develop competencies across a spectrum of areas relevant to communication which include public relations, corporate communication, integrated marketing communication, and development communication. This programme has been conceived as a result of the ever-increasing demand for advanced training in the aforementioned areas of strategic communication.

1.3       Program Description

The MASC is a graduate degree programme that will focus on preparing students interested in professional growth and advancement in the area of strategic communication. The curriculum is designed to equip students with functional knowledge, theoryand evidence-based communication management practices based on the trends and needs in the communication industry. The programme willdevelop students’ understanding, and equip them with skills and methods needed to work in public relations, corporate communication, integrated marketing communication, and development communication – at an advanced level.

From the Department’s inception, training at graduate level has majorly focused on print and broadcast journalism. Therefore, in offering this programme, the Department aims to achieve greater contribution and focused attention to the critical and vibrant field of strategic communication, whose practice today has a strong bearing on key aspects of human and social development.

1.4 Justification and Rationale of the Programme

Strategic communication is an increasingly essential component for organizations/institutions. The M.A Strategic Communication is designed to respond to the needs of students and as well as demands of the ever-evolving communication workplace. It responds to perspectives from the two categories to align graduate training towards increasing employability of graduates and communication career advancement opportunities for graduates, while at the same time providing a workforce with practical skills to undertake communication in diverse contexts driven by changing communication technology. Expertise in this area will offer students excellent prospects for career progression. Students will have an opportunity to specialize in a variety of areas of strategic communication management, while developing insights into the latest strategies used in communication research, planning, implementation and evaluation.

In so doing, the MA in Strategic Communication will give the Department a framework for preparing students to respond to the new professional realities and to meet the expectations of the market.The programme and curriculum have been designed to bring them in conformity with emerging trends in the industry, the demands of the market, theoretical development in the discipline of strategic communication, as well as best practices in the application of ICT in media and communication training and practice.

Whereas the current approach to communication training at graduate level has tended to focus on journalism and media studies, there is a growing demand for graduates who are competent in behavioural, social, and development communication aimed at addressing livelihood conditions at different levels of society. Such graduates would be better prepared to apply their communication skills and knowledge to support efforts to improve livelihoods in areas such as health, environment, agriculture, population, education, economics, human rights, and several others.

Similarly, the growth of the corporate and public sectors in Uganda and beyond, over the last decade, has brought communication at the forefront of business and public service delivery. Companies and organizations in the public, private and non-governmental sectors are investing more of their resources in a variety of strategic communication approaches as a means of promoting their values, marketing their products and services, engaging with their stakeholders and clients, engaging with communities through corporate social responsibility, and building as well as maintaining their public image.

In offering this programme, the Department recognizes that the many strategic communication approaches referred to herein – public relations, corporate communication, integrated marketing communication, media relations and development communication – draw from a related set of theoretical and conceptual premises. This curriculum therefore aims to integrate the teaching of the above areas of communication practiceso as to better prepare students for work in this dynamic profession. The MA in Strategic Communication is intended to provide a curriculum that brings more coherence to strategic communication as an independent field of professional training, whilst giving students the training that will enable them function effectively as individuals and in teams in a wide range of settings.

Furthermore, the department aims also at building indigenous capacity to conduct advanced training in this fast-growing field. When media and communication training was started in Uganda, Makerere University was the only institution with an established degree programme in mass communication. Today, at least over 16 private universities offer degrees and diplomas in media, journalism and communication. Makerere University is well-placed to lead in media, journalism and communication scholarship and to provide quality human resources for the new universities offering these programmes.

Besides, there are many individuals with backgrounds in a variety of other fields who recognize the multi-disciplinary nature of communication and would wish to pursue advanced studies in the area. This is in addition to the need for strategic communication specialists to serve the large number of organizations that increasingly see communication as a key aspect of their operations. The MASC will cater for these interests.

Finally, the pace at which the media and communication sector is evolving requires a proportionate investment in training and research to build a community of researchers and practitioners with the knowledge and intellectual skills to explain the ever-changing information and communication phenomena as well as their relevance for the governance and well-being of society. With the programme being proposed, the MASC is deemed singularly appropriate in this regard.

1.5       Aim of the Program

To develop essential knowledge and functional skills in the theory and practice of strategic communication as well as effective industry needs-driven communication management practices.

1.6       Objectives of the MA in Strategic Communication

The overarching objectives of the MASC programme are six-fold;

1.  To expand students’ theoretical and practical knowledge of strategic communication and related skills.
2.  To provide students with the qualifications needed to carry out scientific research.
3.  To enable practitioners in media, communication and other related fields refine their knowledge and skills in their areas of specialization as well as make connections between communication theory and practice.
4.  To provide students with the qualifications needed to undertake relevant functions of strategic communication at a strategic and/or operational level in private or public companies, organizations and institutions, based on the knowledge, intellectual abilities and skills acquired.
5.  To enlarge the cadre of people with the knowledge and skills to engage in academic inquiry, research, publication, critique and/or teaching in the fast-growing field of strategic communication.
6.  To prepare students to cope with the rapid changes in technology and practice in the field of strategic communication.

1.7  Programme Outcomes

At the successful completion of the programme, graduates of the MA in Strategic Communication will:

1. Differentiate between the specialized disciplines of public relations, corporate communication, integrated marketing communication and development communication.
2. Conduct rigorous analytical and applied research in the various areas of strategic communication.

iii.        Undertake critical reading of scholarly works and to write well-researched academic papers, policy briefs and theses.

1. Know how to strategically manage the reputation of brands and organisations, add value to their commercial success and support their goals.
2. Formulate and implement solutions to solve complex communication and social problems that meet the specific needs with appropriate consideration of the livelihoods and as well the socio-cultural conditions in which they practice.
3. Select, apply and manage techniques resources and modern communication tools, including the ever-changing technological and media tools with a good understanding of their expediency.

vii.       Demonstrate the highest level of ethical and professional standards as well as suit the professional requirements of the contemporary communication practice and industry.

1.8  Employment Prospects

Employment prospects for studentsafter the M.A Strategic Communication are excellent. Strategic communication has gained significant popularity and relevance in today’s career world. Thisprogramme puts emphasis on the current and changing trends in the communication world to allow students to connect well with ongoing and future demands in the industry. Thus, the programme prepares students for a variety of jobs in the wide scope of strategic and social change communication. More specifically, students who complete this programme will be ready to earn employment in these jobs: communication policy consultant, communication manager, public relations director, communication researcher, academic employee, corporate affairs manager, communication officers, advertising account managers, health educator, health communication planner, media planner, special event manager, social media content creator and manager among others.